Receptacle



Oct. 27, 1936. J. WEBER 2,058,745

EEEEEEEE LE Filed June 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 @2:43 ha I Cit Patented Oct. 27, 1936 RECEPTACLE John Weber, Schenectady, N. Y., assignorto Alpine Electric Corporation,

Schenectady,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 19, 1934, Serial No..731,371

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to outlet receptacles and presents a number of features affording ease of manufacture, compactness, and efciency.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown several practical embodiments of the invention, the invention in each case being embodied in a duplex receptacle merely as a matte-r of illustration and Without restrictive intent. Since the invention will be best understood from a description of these specific embodiments, I shall proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 isa rear planview of one embodiment of the invention with a cover plate removed to reveal the `internal arrangement;

Figure 2 is a section substantially on linel2-2 of Figure 1; Y

Figure 3 isa section substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective, partly in section, of the embodiment in Figure 1 with parts in disassembled relation;

Figure 6 shows in perspective a bus bar of modified form as regards Athe bus bars shown in Figures 1 to 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective of a modied form whichthe invention may take;

Figure 8 is a central transverse section of the receptacle of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a perspective showing a variation of the arrangement as` in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a perspective showing a further variation of the arrangement as in Figure '7 and Figure 11 is` a perspective of a detail appearing in Figure 10. l

Referring to the drawingsy and first to Figures 1 to 5, reference numeral designates generally a body of any suitable insulating material. As here shown, the body 20 has parallel end walls 2| and 22, parallel side walls 23 and 24, and a front wall 25, `these walls defining a cavity adapted to receive certain mechanisms which will be hereinafter described. A rib 26 extends longitudinally and medially of the cavity and at its ends` has portions 2l and 28 whose top surfaces lie in a plane common to inner shoulders 29 and 30 formed in the end walls 2l and 22, respectively, these shoulders lying somewhat below the upper edges of said end walls and the upper edges of the latter, as here shown, being in the plane of the upper edges of the .side ,walls 23and 24. Centrally, rib` 26flis downwardly `offset to provide` a flat portion 3| at the rear of the front face 25 and the entire rib is longitudinally gro'oved to receive in close fitting and preferably flush relation a complementarily conformed anchor strap 32. The. an-

chor straphas angular end portions 33 and 34 5 received, as here shown, in flush relation in grooves 35 and 36 on the outer sides of the end walls'Zl and 22, the anchor straps terminating` in outwardly bent perforatedportions 3l and 38 partially receivedinv angular continuations of grooves 10 35 and 36. Inwardlyof the end walls, the anchor strap is provided with apertures 39 and 40 through which screwsV are adapted to be passed to be engaged, as in a threaded insert, in the underlying rib. Centrally, the anchor strap is provided with 15 an aperture 4| which registers with an aperture 42, Figure 3, formed in the front Wall 25.

At its ends, front wall has formed thereon a pair of bosses 43- and provided with service openings 45, 46, and 41, 48, Figures 2, 4, and 5, adapted to pass the contact fingers of the usual connector plugs. The openings 45, 46 and 41, 48 communicate respectively with the recesses at the left and right ends of the body cavity between the side walls and central rib. The side walls are provided at their-,base portions with internal 5 rectilinearly extending shoulders 49 and 50 which terminate longitudinally adjacent the service openings as indicated in Figures 2 and 5.

Slightlyabove shoulders 49 and 5U, each side wall is providedmedially and opposite the downwar-d offset of rib 26 with longitudinally rspaced apertures as at 5l .and 52, Figure 5, and thev upper edges of the side walls between these apertures are provided with shallow notches 53 and 54.

A bus bar 55, preferably formed of a flat metal strip, is atly disposed against the interior surface of wall. 23 and is provided with threaded apertures 56 and 5l which register withl apertures 5l and 52,` respectively, when the lower edge of the bus bar rests on shoulder 49. At its ends, the bus bar has .secured thereto or formed therewith spring contacts 58 and 59, here shown as Ushapedwhose freeportions are in position to be engaged` by plug fingers passed through the service openings, the extremities of the free portions normally bearing. against ,the adjacent sides of the central rib 26, the rib being of a .thick-V ness substantially equal to the distance between the service openings. A contact plate 6U is positioned against the exterior surface of wall 23 and has` centrally an-,upward extension` 6I which i bent to extend across the topof Wall 23 in notch 53andfdownwardlyfto. provide. a finger. 62 which liesbehind busbar 55. Contact platell is provided with apertures 63 and 64 which register with apertures 5|, 56 and 52, 5l, respectively, and through the aligned apertures are passed terminal screws 65 and 56, the inner en-ds of these screws engaging the threads in the bus bar apertures 56 and 5l, the depression in rib 2G providing clearance for the inner ends of the screws.

An exactly similar bus bar |57 and contact plate 58 .are mounted on wall 24 in the same manner as above described and engaged by terminal screws 69 and l0, the contact plate 63 having an extension bent into notch 54 and downwardly to provide an extremity 'll engaged behind bus bar 6l', Figure 3.

The body cavity is closed by a cover plate '|2 of insulating material whose ends are support-ed on shoulders 29 and 3l), the plate being provided with apertures, not shown, receiving screws,'not shown, which are engaged with the body through apertures 39 and lill in the anchor strap to hold the cover plate, anchor strap, and body 28 together. It will also be noted from Figure 3 that the sides of cover plate 'l2 overlie the inwardly extending portions of the contact plate extensions. To complete the assembly, a face plate 13 is secured in position by means of a screw '14 passing through aperture 42, Figure 3, and engaged in the central threaded aperture of the anchor strap, the screw 'irl being of relatively short length, due to the proximity of the engaged portion of the anchor strap to the front face and being readily threaded to position due to the steady positioning of the anchor strap in the groove in which it lies.

In assembly, the bus bars are rst placed in position on the shoulders 49 and 50. The bus bars are preferably of a length substantially equal to the distance between the end walls of the cavity which, in conjunction with the ribs, immediately position the bus bars with their apertures in alignment with the side wall apertures. Hereupon, the contact plates, whose extensions are preferably preformed, are slipped in position so that their depending fingers take the position most clearly shown in Figure -3. The notches 53 and 5d serve to position the contact plates longitudinally of the sidewalls and the depth of the notches is such that when the transverse portions of the extensions are fully seated therein, the apertures of the contact plates are in alignment with the apertures in the associated side walls and bus bars. Upon the positioning of the contact plates, the terminal screws are screwed into position, fingers 62 and 1| receiving the thrust so that the bus bars are not distorted.

Preferably, fingers 62 and are so formed and are sufficiently springy that even when the terminal screws are tightly screwed home, the fingers are still in conductive engagement with the bus bars, as shown in Figure 3, so that they constitute electrical connections between the contact plates and bus bars in addition to the terminal screws. This office of fingers S2 and 1|, however, may be dispensed with, if desired, and they may merely s-erve as abutment means which are out of contact with the bus bars when the screws are tightly engaged. In some cases, the contact plates or their extensions, and consequently notches 53 and 54, may be dispensed with, but in such case, other abutment means for the bus bars should preferably be provided. However, I prefer to use the contact plates in the form shown in view of their several advantages as above discussed. When the conductors are engaged under the heads of the screws and the latter .ar-e tightly engaged in position with the contact plates and bus bars clamped against the side walls, an extremely rigid structure is presented which will withstand the stresses encountered when the receptacle is pushed into position in the wall box. This rigid construction prevents -dislocation of the contacts even when a relatively heavy conductor is used.

It will be noted from Figure 3 that since the sides of the cover plate overlie the portions of the contact plate extensions which traverse the side walls, the contact plates and bus bars will be retained in position even in the event of re moval of all the terminal screws.

In Figure 6, there is shown a bus bar 'l5 integrally connected with a contact plate I6 by means of a strip or extension portion 'l, the Contact plate and bus bar being spaced apart substantially the thickness of the body side wall, Figures l to 5, and the portion 'll being engageable in a side wall notch. The contact plate 15 is provided with apertures adapted to freely pass contact screws and the bus bar is provided with threaded apertures in alignment with the contact plate apertures. The bus bar may have the same contact provisions as described with reference to bus bar 55 above. This bus bar and contact plate unit may be substituted for the separate bus bars and contact plates, above described, in a manner which will be perfectly understood. Portion 1`| has the functions of the contact plate extensions, previously discussed and, of course, always provides a conductive path between the contact plate and bus bar.

Referring to Figure 7, the body of insulating material generally designated at '|8 is generally similar to body 20. Each side wall is provided with a notch as at 'i9 which, on the inner side ol the wall, is joined by or continued into a vertical groove 88. The central rib is abruptly downwardly offset and provides in effect two end blocks 8| and 82. A contact plate 83 has an extension bent to provide a horizontal portion 84 and a downwardly extending nger 85, portion 8S lying in the notch T9 and portion 85 in the groove 30 and the effective length of portion 84 being substantially the thickness of the side wall between its exterior surface and groove 8|). The bus bar SS may be exactly the same as the bus bar 55, heretofore described, and the side wall and contact plate are perforated as in the rst embodiment to receive the terminal screws 8l and 88. When these screws are tightened, the bus bar is drawn against linger 85 to provide a conductive path between plate 83 and the bus bar other than the paths provided by the screws. Preferably, groove extends in the side wall a depth less than the tlnckness of nger so that the latter cannot come into flush or sunken rela.- tion with respect to the inner side wall faces, contact between the finger and the bus bar being thus assured.

Since, in this embodiment, the finger 85 is in effective to receive the thrust of the terminal screws, I preferably continue the sides of blocks 8| and 82 inwardly to vertical edges and then turn them outwardly substantially into contact with the bus bars immediately outwardly of screws 8l and 88, thus forming abutments as at 89 and 9G adapted to receive the thrust of the screws.

The construction shown in Figure 9 is exactly the same as that of Figures 7 and 8, with the exception that abutment lugs as at 9| are provided adjacent the side walls intermediate the screws to take the thrust of the latter.

In Figure 10, the insulating body is the same as in Figures 7 to 9 with the exception that it provides no abutment means to take the thrust of the screws. The bus bars, as at 92, however, have inturned ends as at 93 and 94 whose eX- tremities are adapted to abut the sides of the end blocks or rib portions 8| and 82 to hold the main body of the bus bars against the inner surfaces of the side walls. The bus bars 92 may have spring contacts 95 and 96 exactly thesame as the contacts 53 and 59, hereinbefore described, these being positioned somewhat inwardly of the ends 93 and 94, whose outer surfaces are substantially against the inner surfaces of the body end walls when the bus bar is in position.

From the above description, it will be seen that the invention may be variously embodied. Other changes in formand arrangement may be made without departure from the scope of the invention as dened in the following claims.

1. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, terminal screws passed through the wall apertures and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the bus bars against said side walls, said bus bars having portions in hooked engagement with they side walls for taking the thrust of said screws when the latter are inserted, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

2. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls', the side walls having apertures. therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged against the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of the side walls and threaded in the bus bar' apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side Walls, said plates having portions traversing said side walls and hooked behind the bus bars to brace the latter against the thrust of said screws, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

3. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged agaimt the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed thro-ugh the apertures of said plates and of the side walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, means integrally connecting the associated plates and bars over the rear edges of said side walls, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

4. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side Walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged against theouter sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of theside walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, means integrally connecting the associated plates and bars over the rear edges of said side walls, the latter being provided with notches receiving said means and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

5. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side wallsxand a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having ap-ertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged against the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of the side walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, said plates having portions passing over the rear edges of said side walls and hooked behind the bus bars to brace the latter against the thrust of said screws, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

6. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged against the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of the side walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, said plates having portions passing over th-e rear edges of said side walls and hooked behind the bus bars to brace the latter against the thrust of said screws, said rear edges being provided with notches receiving said portions, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

7. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the wall apertures, apertured cc-ntact plates arranged against the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of the side walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, said plates having portions passing over the rear edges of said side walls and hooked behind the bus bars to brace the latter against the thrust of said screws, said rear edges being provided with notches receiving said portions, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said cover plate overlying said portions at least in part so as to hold the same in position when said screws are removed, said front wall being provided with service openings.

8. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, the side walls having apertures therein and the bus bars having threaded apertures aligned with the Wall apertures, apertured contact plates arranged against the outer sides of said side walls, terminal screws passed through the apertures of said plates and of the side Walls and threaded in the bus bar apertures to hold the associated plates and bus bars against the intervening side walls, said plates having bent portions hooked over the rear edges of the side walls and positioned between the side walls and the bus bars in contact with the bus bars, and a cover plate for the rear of said body, said front wall being provided with service openings.

9. A receptacle comprising a hollow body of insulating material, said body having end and side walls and a front Wall, bus bars in the body cavity arranged against the side walls, said bus bars having contact fingers at their inner ends bent away from the body side walls, Contact screws passed through the body side walls and engaged in threaded apertures of the bus bars, said screws holding th-e bus bars firmly against said side walls, said bus bars having portions in hooked engagement with the side walls for taking the thrust of said screws when the latter are inserted, the body front wall being provided with service openings which are inwardly of the bus bar ends, said side walls backing the ends of the bus bars to prevent deection of the latter in use, and a cover plate for the rear of said body.

JOHN WEBER. 

